Inquest into five-year-old Toronto boy's starvation death postponed

TORONTO -- A long-awaited inquest into the starvation death of a five-year-old Toronto boy in his grandparents' home has been postponed.

Jeffery Baldwin weighed only nine kilograms and was covered in sores when he died on Nov. 20, 2002 of complications from chronic starvation.

Deputy Chief Coroner for Inquests Dr. Bert Lauwers says the inquest that was to begin April 8 will now start on Sept. 9 in Toronto.

The inquest will examine the events surrounding Jeffery's death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.

The Supreme Court of Canada last year rejected Elva Bottineau's application to appeal her murder conviction in the death of Jeffery, her grandson.

Bottineau's common-law partner, Norman Kidman, also lost an appeal bid. Both were sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 22 and 20 years respectively following their second-degree murder convictions in 2006.

The inquest is expected to last three months and to hear from approximately 35 witnesses.